


Love Somebody

by menel



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-05
Updated: 2013-10-05
Packaged: 2017-12-28 11:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/991540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menel/pseuds/menel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was worth the wait.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Somebody

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Love Somebody](https://archiveofourown.org/works/991022) by [menel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/menel/pseuds/menel), [Mixk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mixk/pseuds/Mixk). 



> This drabble is a response to Mixk's lovely (and inspiring) gif set of the same title. Go, go! Click on the gif set. It's beautiful.

Herc is a goner. He suspected it yesterday in the hangar of the Shatterdome with the curious (and in one instance, lethal) audience of Stacker, Mako and his son, as he shook Raleigh Becket’s hand, welcoming the former Ranger back into the fold. 

He confirmed it that night as he’d accepted Raleigh’s invitation for a drink. That hadn’t turned out quite as he’d expected, but in other ways it had turned out _better_ than he’d hoped. They couldn’t leave the Shatterdome since Herc was on alert (Striker Eureka’s command crew was _always_ on alert) and Herc thought they’d simply dig into his stash, but Raleigh had other ideas, commandeering Tendo’s dubious moonshine and the J-Tech officer to go with it. The ease with which Tendo had caved to Raleigh’s request and then willingly joined them was a reminder of how close the Becket brothers had been to the J-Tech while they’d all been stationed at the Icebox. It was a friendship that hadn’t faded with the passing of the years and the lack of contact. It was still tinged with a sense of loss whenever Yancy’s name came up as they reminisced about old times and Tendo had filled Raleigh in on all the goings-on at the Shatterdome. Herc didn’t feel like an intruder though, thanks to the way Raleigh effortlessly included him in the conversation, finally dropping the ‘Sir’ to remove the formality between them. 

Raleigh’s smile was still blinding, his charisma still magnetic and every time he turned his charm on Herc, Herc could feel his defenses crumbling that little bit more. By the end of the night, they were gone completely and he would’ve done anything Raleigh had asked him to, consequences be damned. But Raleigh hadn’t asked for anything, walking Herc back to his shared quarters with Chuck, both of them pleasantly buzzed. (The three of them had never intended to drink to excess. That would’ve been sheer irresponsibility.) But, standing outside his door with Raleigh so near, watching him with those clear blue eyes, Herc had cursed his own inability to act. It was Manila all over again, to be so close but unable to take that final step. Raleigh had appeared to come to his own conclusion as well, giving Herc one more smile (one of _understanding_ ) and a nod. 

“See you tomorrow?” he’d asked. 

“Tomorrow,” Herc had agreed. 

As he’d watched the kid walk away, Herc came to a conclusion of his own. He’d waited seven years for this opportunity to come again. It was the end of the world, godammit and he was going to take what was being offered to him. There was no more time for regret. 

Herc reflected that he almost hadn’t had any time at all with the double event that had taken out two more Jaegers, two more command crews that were like family. It was almost selfish to finally share himself with Raleigh at a time of tragedy, but the tragedy also underpinned how ephemeral everything had become. There _was_ no more time left. 

So Herc didn’t question it when the crowds had finally dispersed, most of the crews returning to the pits to make sure that Striker and Gipsy were ready for the final assault, and he’d found himself alone with Raleigh. The kid was watching him again with the same thoughtful expression that he’d worn the night before standing outside Herc’s quarters. This time Herc didn’t hesitate, reaching for Raleigh’s hand with his good one. Raleigh didn’t resist, his own hand curling around Herc’s in a firm grip, as Herc pulled them in the direction of the Rangers’ quarters. He wasn’t looking at Raleigh as they walked, but he could practically feel the kid grinning, smirking more likely, at his own private victory. Herc knew precisely what to do to wipe that smirk off of Raleigh’s face. 

They’d ended up at Raleigh’s quarters since his own were out of the question, Raleigh only briefly releasing his hand in order to open the door. Then Herc was dragging him inside, kicking the door shut behind them, Raleigh finally giving in and laughing at Herc’s impatience. That laugh was silenced when Herc kissed him, crushing Raleigh against him with surprising strength given his injured arm. 

As far as first kisses went, Herc didn’t think he’d had one better. Raleigh was immediately responsive, but not overwhelmed and the kiss deepened with the intensity of years of waiting and longing, of uncertainty and relief. It ended slowly with Herc’s good arm around Raleigh's waist and Raleigh’s right arm slung about his shoulders. Raleigh was leaning into the uninjured side of his body, ensuring that his broken arm wasn’t crushed between them. 

“Well,” Raleigh said, slightly breathless but with that sly grin back in place. “That was worth the wait.” 

Herc agreed and he returned Raleigh’s smile. 

“You think you’re up for anything else tonight?” Raleigh asked, his gaze flicking to the bed that was behind them. 

“Is that a challenge, Becket?” 

Raleigh’s expression grew soft, tender in a way that made Herc feel like he was falling. 

“No,” Raleigh said with a shake of his head. “It’s an invitation.”


End file.
